Suwon, South Korea, May 24, 2018 - Spectacular performances from Serena Ortolani and Miryam Fatime Sylla led a rejuvenated Italy to an upset victory over Korea in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League on Thursday.
The dynamic duo scored 16 points apiece as Italy won their second straight match in the 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-21) triumph over Korea, who lost for the first time in nine matches at the Suwon Indoor Gymnasium.
It was a complete team effort for the revived Italy, who also received tireless contributions from Lucia Bosetti (14 points) and Marina Lubian (9 points).
Korea were led by captain Kim Yeon Koung (17 points) but her output was somewhat limited after she had poured in 50 points during the past two matches. The hosts had a number of players struggle to make an impact, including Jeongah Park who scored just 6 points.
Italy defeated Korea for just the third time from 12 matches at the world level although the teams had not faced each other since the 2012 Olympics.
It was a disappointing end to the second phase homestand for Korea, who now sport a 4-2 overall record, while Italy are rolling after recovering from a dire 0-4 start in the VNL.
A confident Italy overpowered their opponents all match and failed to wilt under the immense pressure, while Korea were wayward and appeared out of sync.
Continuing their renewed form, an energetic Italy quickly quietened the loud crowd with the first four points of the match. The visitors were playing with vigour and rattling an error-strewn Korea, who found themselves in an early five-point hole.
Ortolani and Lubian were lively and continually attacking Korea, who were unable to handle the barrage. Italy were also showcasing stout defence, led by the acrobatic Sylla, who was fresh off her breakout performance against Germany on Wednesday. Shrugging off a shaky start, Kim engineered a comeback with an intoxicating mixture of power and deft touch as Korea suddenly regained the lead after rattling off six straight points from Kim Su Ji's lethal serve.
Undaunted, Italy matched their fancied opponents testament to winning a pulsating 24-second rally punctuated by a booming spike from Sylla, who was once again proving her worth as a starter. Korea had trouble finding their groove and were unable to penetrate Italy's formidable defence led by the tenacious efforts of captain Ofelia Malinov.
Italy were doing well in all areas, including two successful reviews, as they emphatically claimed the first set through a put away down the line from an inspired Ortolani.
Italy's momentum continued from the get go in the second set with Sylla producing an imposing spike as the underdogs soon edged ahead to a three-point lead much to the dismay of the local faithful. Wing spiker Bosetti was thwarting Korea with a fusion of power and deftness as Italy sniffed an invaluable two-set lead.
The match reached new heights during a memorable rally mid-set when Sylla showed off her athleticism with a lunging retrieval as she clattered into the advertising boards on the sidelines. The scores see-sawed with a precise one-legged spike from Su Ji Kim reducing the margin to 20-19 as the second set reached a crescendo.
Once again silencing the crowd, the commanding Sylla was proving to be the difference maker and she led Italy to a two-set advantage much to the disbelief of those in attendance.
Attempting to extricate from a major hole, Korea lifted with the first three points of the stanza as an imperious kill from Heejin Kim brought specactors to their feet. However, undaunted by the electric atmosphere, Italy kept hustling marked by winning a tense 22-second rally to even the scores at 12 apiece.
Ortolani and Sylla stepped up when it mattered most as the dynamic duo produced timely spikes as Italy edged ahead in a determined bid to end the contest in straight sets. Italy eventually claimed victory in a slight anti-climax through a review but the confirmation triggered wild celebrations from them, while local fans were visibly stunned.
Next week, Italy travel to Hong Kong for phase three action and will play Japan, Argentina and China, while Korea journey to Apeldoorn and face hosts the Netherlands, Brazil and Poland.